Boy, 8, drowns in Chaguaramas boating accident

A mission to rescue a tuna boat turned tragic on Sunday evening, when eight-year-old Kaden Sandy lost his life in a boating accident off the coast of Centipede Island, Chaguaramas.

Kaden, a student at Mucurapo Boys’ RC School and resident of Laventille Extension Road, Morvant, was aboard the fishing vessel Perseverance with his parents, Jules Sandy, 42, and Abigail Jones, 38, and three others, including the boat’s pilot, Christopher Ragbir.

According to reports, the group was towing another vessel at 7.15 pm, approximately two miles off Centipede Island. During the operation, the towing rope came loose, causing the two boats to collide. The impact threw all five occupants into the water.

A nearby vessel rushed to their rescue and managed to save four of the five individuals. They were taken to the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) base at Staubles Bay for medical treatment. However, young Kaden was discovered to be missing, and Coast Guard officers responded swiftly.

Lieutenant Khadija Lamy, Public Affairs Officer of the TTCG, confirmed in a statement that Coast Guard officers aboard TTCG 41 conducted a search at the scene and later found Kaden’s body trapped beneath the vessel. He was transported to the Coast Guard base, where District Medical Officer Dr Leung pronounced him dead. His body was then transferred to the Port-of-Spain Mortuary for further examination.

“The TTCG regrettably confirms that on the evening of Sunday, 22 September 2024, the TTCG responded to a distress call reporting a person in the water. Unfortunately, after searches, the Coast Guard recovered a drowning victim,” the statement read.

A passerby involved in the rescue shared his experience of the frantic moments.

“When the adrenaline’s flowing, you don’t really ask questions. It was just about saving the lives and getting the people out of the water,” he said.

He recalled, “I was just driving by and saw the commotion in the water. I drove towards it and saw a boat underwater with its bow sticking up in the air, and people in the sea. I pulled them out of the water and dropped them off at the Coast Guard base.”

The Coast Guard expressed its condolences to the family, emphasising the importance of safety precautions during marine activities.

“We urge all seafarers to exercise caution and take the necessary safety precautions, such as ensuring that all persons on vessels are wearing properly fitted life jackets,” the statement added.

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is conducting an investigation, led by Cpl Antoine of the Carenage Police Station, to determine the full details surrounding the incident.

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